1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a package for needlesuture combinations. More particularly, this invention relates to a molded package wherein each suture is double armed and includes a pledget for absorption of body fluids.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many types of packages for sutures and combined surgical needle-suture devices are known in the art. Generally, a package should be constructed to adequately secure a needle and suture while providing easy withdrawal during use. It is also preferable to minimize the formation of kinks or bends in the suture during storage.
A further objective sought in the design of suture packages is to construct the package in accordance with its intended application. For example, suture packages must often accommodate suture material of high quality generally having a surgical needle at one end, all in a readily dispensable fashion so as to have optimum handling characteristics. Cardiovascular sutures are generally "double armed", i.e. they include a needle at each end of the suture, presenting still additional packaging difficulties. Moreover, in cardiovascular applications differently colored sutures are used for identification purposes.
Generally, the needle-suture devices of a cardiovascular suture package must be secured in spaced relation such that during a critical procedure such as a bypass operation, the surgeon can readily grasp the needles with his forceps and quickly remove the suture from the package without difficulty.
Furthermore, a customary practice in cardiovascular surgery is to attach a pledget to the center of the suture. In such applications, a pledget is used which is a small pad or cushion used to distribute the force of the suture over a greater area of tissue to prevent cutting the relatively delicate tissue with the fine denier suture. In cardiovascular surgery one typical pledget is formed of Teflon brand material, as marketed by DuPont de Nemours, Wilmington, Del. In some instances the pledget is formed of an absorbable material.
A properly configured suture package for such cardiovascular sutures must therefore be constructed in a manner which stores the suture with both needles, as well as the pledget, while allowing the package to be opened and the needle-suture-pledget device to be removed without entanglement of the pledget with the suture or the suture upon itself. The present invention is directed to a suture package wherein a plurality of such needle-suture devices with attached pledgets may be conveniently stored in a single package while maintaining the individuality of each suture with respect to each other.